Shopping cart retainer

ABSTRACT

A holder for individual shopping carts by means of nesting the front wheels of the shopping cart within a confined physical barrier. The holder is fastened to the parking lot surface consisting of an entrance or front inclined ramp an exit or nesting area ramp. The front wheels of the shopping cart drop into a holding or nesting area presenting a four-sided vertical walled physical barrier including one side exit ramp. Once placed within this physical barrier this device would prevent the front wheels of the cart from rolling, voluntary, outside the confines of the barriers presented by this nesting area.

This invention relates to a device that will hold/retain individually ashopping cart in a particular location on a store parking lot. Thisinvention would hold a commonly used individual, customer shopping cart,by means of nesting only the front wheels of the shopping cart within aconfined physical barrier. When pushed gently up the front inclinedentrance ramp, the front wheels of the shopping cart drop into a holdingor nesting area presenting a four sided walled physical barrier with oneside an exit ramp. Once placed within this physical barrier this devicewould prevent the front wheels of the cart from rolling, voluntary,outside the confines of the barriers presented by the nesting area.Removing the cart is accomplished by reversing the action and pullingthe cart gently, rolling the front wheels over the inclined nesting areaexit ramp, back down the front inclined entrance ramp.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART

It is a common practice for shoppers to utilize shopping carts forholding and transporting products from stores to their vehicles parkedon store parking lots. Shopping cart control and storage is a problem inthe parking lots of many shopping areas. The problem stems fromcustomers abandoning carts after they have taken the carts from thestore to their vehicles for unloading. There is no convenient or securemeans of retaining the shopping cart in a position safe from vehicledamage or in the path of moving vehicles and walking shoppers. A commonpractice by store managers is to have employees retrieve unloaded cartsand return them to the store as soon as possible. This presents severalproblems such as safety, labor expense, inconvenience to customers, aswell as blocking entrances and exits with large quantities of shoppingcarts while transporting. Additionally the availability of these cartsis at times lacking, a severe problem to the store with a possibledecline in sales and customer satisfaction.

In an attempt to avoid damage to customer's vehicles and to the shoppingcarts themselves, as well as to prevent clogging of parking spaces andthoroughfares, it has become common practice to provide cart corrals orstorage areas spaced throughout the parking lot in an effort toencourage customers to return the carts to these corrals. Storeemployees or customers on their way into the store can then retrieve thecarts from these storage areas.

The cart corrals commonly in use are, as the name implies, are primarilyall metal, high profile, and fence-like structures. The metal from whichcart corrals are typically made has a number of drawbacks. It is likelyto rust and deteriorate, limiting the useful life of the corral and apotential to damage vehicles and the corral itself. Accessibility andvisibility of such open, fence-like structures is low, which furtherdeters customers from using them. In areas of the country where snow iscommon, such open corrals may go unplowed, preventing customers fromemploying them.

After unloading the products purchased in the stores into their vehiclesmany customers try to abandon carts in a position close to theirvehicles. In front of their vehicles in spaces between cars on parkinglot dividers, or grassy areas, hoping they will stay in place, whilethey drive from the parking space, which is not always the case. A widevariety of techniques have been employed to try and solve theseproblems, none of which have been totally effective. Many stores haveconstructed holding pens for shopping carts, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,426 toCruwell, shopping cart corral, also U.S. Pat. No. Des. 334,301 toBuckley, a shopping cart corral, but most customers will not walk adistance to these areas to deposit empty carts or may not be aware ofthese pens since they take up vital parking space and few areconstructed throughout the parking lots. Individual pens such as U.S.Pat. No. Des. 361,448 to Buckley does address the convenience of havinga cart placed next to a customers vehicle for easy disposal andretrieval although this device is elevated but not enough to be seen bya moving vehicle which may cause damage to the vehicle and the corralalso to walking pedestrian shoppers, this individual holding device alsotakes up additional vital space in a parking lot since the pen surroundsthe shopping cart it also does not provide a secure position fromvoluntary rolling of the cart if the mounting of the pen is on anincline.

Another significant advantage of this low profile shopping cart retainerinvention is convenience to the customer and the store. By means of thisinvention is to make available or retain an individual shopping cart ina specific location, next to their vehicle, making it convenient to havea cart available next to their vehicle as they arrive and begin shoppingand when leaving to dispose of the cart by placing it in a convenientholder next to their vehicle ready for the next customer who will occupythe same parking space. When a customer removes the cart assigned totheir parking space and brings it into the store to begin shoppingassures the customer of the availability of a shopping cart andeliminates the store from retrieving carts, problems of which weredescribed above.

In addition a variety of techniques have been employed by stores toresolve the problem of retrieving shopping carts, such as rewardingcustomers who bring carts into the store to shop, providing pens tostore carts on the parking lots and in the patent literature for exampleU.S. Pat. No. 4,470,495 to Unger, which encourages the return of cartsto a pen by reward. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,087 to Lucas also acounter that will reward the return of carts to a designated area.

As illustrated by background art and commercial efforts are continuouslybeing made in an attempt to resolve the shopping cart problem as itrelates to the retaining of carts in parking areas and in combinationwith the retrieval of such carts to the store. No prior effort, however,suggests the present inventive configured components arranged asdisclosed herein. Prior inventions or efforts do not address and resolvethe problem in an efficient and comprehensive manner of retainingindividual carts on a parking lot or a system by means of this inventionof convenience of retrieving carts by customers. The present inventionachieves its purpose, objectives and advantages over prior art through anew, useful and unobvious combination of simplistic design elements,through the use of a minimum combination of readily available materials.

It is therefore, an objective of the present invention to provide ashopping cart system comprising a low profile device that will retain anindividual shopping cart in a fixed position on a parking lot at astrategic location specifically in a safe and secure location next tohis or her vehicle enabling a shopper to dispose of and retrieve ashopping cart at his or her convenience. This invention is so designedas to allow the cart to be rolled forward onto and into the retainingarea of the device with ease by means of an inclined entrance ramp overan elevated retaining barrier retaining the front wheels of the shoppingcart within a corral or nest. Also a cart may be retrieved from thisdevice and the nesting retaining area when rolled out or pulled backfrom the retaining area over an inclined exit ramp and retaining barrierthat is within the holding or nesting area. This device is substantiallyconstructed and would be securely fastened to the surface of a storeparking lot in designated locations as an unobtrusive fixture.

This unique device when used properly would retain shopping carts at aspecific location within a store parking lot preventing loose carts fromdamaging cars and interfering with parking areas and spaces. This deviceis specifically constructed and designed to allow with ease for ashopping cart to be moved onto an inclined ramp dropping into aspecifically designed holding area retaining the front wheels of saidshopping cart. Ease of removal of said shopping cart is obtained byreversing the movement away from the retaining area engaging aspecifically designed ramp to allow the release of the shopping cart. Aswell as disposing of and making available carts as used by patrons. Itis yet a further object of the invention to hold a shopping cart by asecure means securely fastened to the surface of a store parking lotwhich in turn will hold the front wheels of a conventional shopping cartin a fixed position by means of a bordered nesting area so as the frontwheels of the shopping cart will be rendered immobile preventing theshopping cart to be loose, an obstruction to shoppers and vehicles.

Furthermore, by retaining the shopping cart in an obtainable position itenables the shopper to dispose of the cart after use and provides aready cart for the next shopper whereby entering the store with the cartfrom the parking lot eliminating the necessity of the store employeesthe difficult task of retrieving carts during store hours. The foregoinghas outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. Theseobjects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of themore prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Manyother beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosedinvention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within thescope of the disclosure including incentive programs and systems inconjunction with this invention. Accordingly other objects and a furtherunderstanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary ofthe invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodimentin addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is defined by the appended claims with thespecific preferred embodiment shown in the attached drawings. For thepurpose of summarizing the invention, the invention may be provided in ashopping system comprising a substantially constructed low profilerectangle shaped ramped device that will enable a shopping cart to besecurely held in a specific position and location conveniently adjacentto a customers vehicle. Whereby the customer has immediate accesses tothe cart to commence shopping by retrieving the cart from the cartholding device by gently pulling the cart towards oneself over theretaining inclined ramp thereby bringing the cart into the store tocommence shopping. When returning to the shoppers vehicle and removingthe purchased products the shopper returns the cart to the cart holderreversing the procedure by pushing the cart with ease up a slightinclined ramp into the holding area of the shopping cart holding devicenaturally dropping the front wheels of the shopping cart in the corralarea securely holding the shopping cart in place.

In addition, the invention is constructed of molded synthetic durablenon-corrosive substantially thick material withstanding the effects of avehicles weight and without causing damage to the tires or othercomponents of common vehicles if so driven over. Also the invention hasa low profile, it will not be an obstruction or hazard to vehicles orpedestrians and it will be obviously marked for the purpose ofdetection. Four mounting holes are provided to securely mount theinvention to the surface of the parking lot with substantialnon-corrosive bolts.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent andimportant features of the present invention in order that the detaileddescription of the invention that follows may the better understood sothat the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated.Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter,which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should beappreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and thedisclosed specific embodiment might be readily utilized as a basis formodifying or designing other constructions for carrying out the samepurposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by thoseskilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of the right side and top of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the top of the present invention which clearlydemonstrates the enlarged width of the entrance ramp as it taperstowards the nesting area.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the right side of the present inventionshowing the elevation of the walls of the nesting area and the entranceand exit ramps as well as the flush mounting of the re-enforcing holedrilled plates.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the right side of the present inventionwith a phantom view of the front wheels of a common shopping cart asthey nest in the holding section of the present invention. These phantomwheels of a shopping cart are not a representation of the invention norpart of the invention but are only viewed as a demonstration and theaction of the invention when used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective showing of the entire shopping cartholder/retainer with a molded gradual sloped entrance ramp 12 and themolded exit ramp 14 which makes up one side of the four sided nestingarea 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention. The nesting area 10, which holds the front wheels of aconventional shopping cart see FIG. 4. and the remaining three walls ofthe nesting area 10, the left wall of the nesting area 16 the back wallof the nesting area 18 and the right side of the nesting area 20 whichare all elevated to a height to prevent the front wheels of a commonshopping cart, once positioned, from rolling voluntarily out side of theconfined nesting area 10 which is bordered by the exit ramp 14 and thethree sides 16, 18, 20 of the nesting area 10 see FIG. 4. The leftcorner re-enforcing hole drilled mounting plate 22 and the right sidecorner re-enforcing hole drilled mounting plate 24 are shown in thenesting area 10 which will securely fasten the shopping cartretainer/holder when bolted through the pre-drilled mounting holes tothe surface of the parking lot. The left mounting pre-drilledcountersunk hole 26 is located on the entrance ramp 12 and the rightside pre-drilled mounting hole 28 is located on the right side of theentrance ramp 12 which will complete a four hole mounting pattern whichwill securely fasten the shopping cart retainer/holder when bolted tothe surface of the parking lot.

FIG. 2 is a plane view of the top of the shopping cart holder/retainershowing the entrance ramp 12 including the two mounting countersunkpre-drilled holes left side 26, right side 28 the less gradual slopedexit ramp 14 which makes up one side of the four sided nesting area 10,left side wall 16 of the nesting area 10 tapered from the entrance ramp12 to the back wall 18 of the nesting area 10 also the right side wall20 nesting area 10 tapered from the entrance ramp 12 including the leftside pre-drilled re-enforced mounting plate 22 and the right sidepre-drilled corner re-enforcing mounting plate 24.

FIG. 3 is an elevated right side view of the shopping cartholder/retainer showing the right side wall 20 of the nesting area 10behind which is the greater sloped entrance ramp 12 and the pre-drilledcountersunk mounting holes 26,28 and the less sloped exit ramp 14included are the pre-drilled corner re-enforced mounting plates 22,24included is the tapered wall guide illustrated by the lower ramps peak30 which will keep the wheels of the shopping cart guided and fromspilling over the entrance ramp as they are guided up the entrance ramp12 to the nesting area 10.

FIG. 4 is an elevated right side view of the shopping cartholder/retainer showing the phantom elevated view of a common shoppingcart's front wheels 32 as they nest in the shopping cart's holder/retainer nesting area 10. These phantom wheels of a shopping cart arenot a representation of the invention nor part of the invention but areonly viewed as a demonstration and the action of the invention whenused. Customer Number: 000050093

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective showing of the entire shopping cartholder/retainer with a molded gradual sloped entrance ramp 12 and themolded exit ramp 14 which makes up one side of the four sided nestingarea 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention. The nesting area 10, which holds the front wheels of aconventional shopping cart see FIG. 4. and the remaining three walls ofthe nesting area 10, the left wall of the nesting area 16 the back wallof the nesting area 18 and the right side of the nesting area 20 whichare all elevated to a height to prevent the front wheels of a commonshopping cart, once positioned, from rolling voluntarily out side of theconfined nesting area 10 which is bordered by the exit ramp 14 and thethree sides 16, 18, 20 of the nesting area 10 see FIG. 4. The leftcorner re-enforcing hole drilled mounting plate 22 and the right sidecorner re-enforcing hole drilled mounting plate 24 are shown in thenesting area 10 which will securely fasten the shopping cartretainer/holder when bolted through the pre-drilled mounting holes tothe surface of the parking lot. The left mounting pre-drilledcountersunk hole 26 is located on the entrance ramp 12 and the rightside pre-drilled mounting hole 28 is located on the right side of theentrance ramp 12 which will complete a four hole mounting pattern whichwill securely fasten the shopping cart retainer/holder when bolted tothe surface of the parking lot.

FIG. 2 is a plane view of the top of the shopping cart holder/retainershowing the entrance ramp 12 including the two mounting countersunkpre-drilled holes left side 26, right side 28 the less gradual slopedexit ramp 14 which makes up one side of the four sided nesting area 10,left side wall 16 of the nesting area 10 tapered from the entrance ramp12 to the back wall 18 of the nesting area 10 also the right side wall20 nesting area 10 tapered from the entrance ramp 12 including the leftside pre-drilled re-enforced mounting plate 22 and the right sidepre-drilled corner re-enforcing mounting plate 24.

FIG. 3 is an elevated right side view of the shopping cartholder/retainer showing the right side wall 20 of the nesting area 10behind which is the greater sloped entrance ramp 12 and the pre-drilledcountersunk mounting holes 26,28 and the less sloped exit ramp 14included are the pre-drilled corner re-enforced mounting plates 22,24included is the tapered wall guide illustrated by the lower ramps peak30 which will keep the wheels of the shopping cart guided and fromspilling over the entrance ramp as they are guided up the entrance ramp12 to the nesting area 10.

FIG. 4 is an elevated right side view of the shopping cartholder/retainer showing the phantom elevated view of a common shoppingcart's front wheels 32 as they nest in the shopping cart's holder/retainer nesting area 10. These phantom wheels of a shopping cart arenot a representation of the invention nor part of the invention but areonly viewed as a demonstration and the action of the invention whenused.

1. A shopping system comprising: a low profile individual shopping cart holding device having an area that nests the front wheels of an individual shopping cart, holding the individual cart in a fixed position by means of a vertical walled section an entrance ramp and an exit ramp; and with predrilled holes to securely fasten the device to the surface of a store parking area, two additional holes are predrilled and counter sunk into the front entrance ramp of the device used also to securely fasten the device to the surface of a store parking lot.
 2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the three sides of the nesting area are of low profile to be non-obstructive to vehicular or pedestrian traffic but substantial and high enough to prevent the front wheels of all commonly used shopping carts from rolling beyond the enclosed nesting area provided by this barrier.
 3. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the entrance ramp is at a lower specific angle and elevation rise to allow with ease of motion and force to push the cart up and over the ramp section allowing the cart to drop down the exit ramp which is of greater angle to hold more securely the wheels of the shopping cart into the nesting area.
 4. The system set forth in claim 3 wherein the entrance ramp is of wider dimension at the front section where the front wheels of the shopping cart first engage the entrance ramp also a tapered vertical edge on the sides of the entrance ramp that will help to guide the front wheels of the shopping cart up and into the nesting area.
 5. The system set forth in claim 3 wherein the exit ramp which makes up one side of the four sided nesting area is at an incline to prevent the normal rolling of the shopping cart from exiting the nesting area but will be of correct angle and elevation to allow the shopping cart when pulled by a customer to exit the nesting area with ease.
 6. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the entrance ramp front surface width will be wider then tapered through to the nesting area allowing for the successful entry of the wheels into the nesting area even if the cart may not be perfectly in alignment with the approach to the shopping cart holding device.
 7. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the two ramps and the walled nesting area are comprised of non-corrosive material and of sufficient thickness to be sturdy withstanding the weight of a vehicle. 